


BroCode

by flowertooru



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Argument and Resolution, Feelings, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 21:04:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8300968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowertooru/pseuds/flowertooru
Summary: Sometimes Bokuto shuts everyone out, and Kuroo hates it.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ivegg (ivster)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivster/gifts).



> From the tumblr prompt - "fuck sake, what's your problem [bokuroo]". It was only meant to be a prompt but here we are, 1700 words later ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ 
> 
> Massive thanks to redamaranth for helping me with the ending <33333 thank you my bro!

Bokuto had been in the gym for hours now.

Kuroo watched from the door, careful not to alert Bokuto to his presence. He stood partly behind the door itself, watching Bokuto toss every ball to himself before he jumped and slammed it across the net. The ace hardly spared a glance towards each ball as it landed, turning back to fetch another ball from the crate as the previous skittered across the court.

At times like this, when Bokuto was in a mood so deep not even Akaashi could lift him out of it, it was often best to leave him to his own devices. Trying to get him to open up when it’s very clear he doesn’t want to leads to nothing good for anyone – and the harder people push, the harder he resists. It’s difficult, sure, but ultimately it’s for the best to let him figure it out for himself and reach out for help when he feels ready.

However, there was only so much of this Kuroo could take, watching Bokuto push himself physically like this with no end in sight. So as Bokuto once again tossed a ball into the air, Kuroo stepped into the gym properly, closing the door quietly behind him. He made his way to the court, dashing out quickly in front of Bokuto’s spike and catching the ball with both hands. The force of the hit almost knocked him onto the floor – even after all the time he’d spent practicing with Bokuto, Kuroo was always taken aback by the sheer power behind his hits.

Bokuto scowled but said nothing, simply turning his back on Kuroo as he walked back to the ball crate.

“Bo, don’t you think that’s enough?”

Bokuto visibly tensed, hands curling into fists at his sides.

“No. I don’t.”

Kuroo sighed, crossing the court and ducking under the net. He tossed the ball in his hands back into the crate, knocking the one that Bokuto had just picked up back in as well.

“Kuroo, go away.”

“No.” Kuroo pushed himself between Bokuto and the crate, frowning as Bokuto crossed his arms tightly over his chest and looked to one side, still scowling. “That’s enough. You need to stop.”

Bokuto didn’t say anything, so after a moment Kuroo continued. “Everybody’s worried about you Bo. Look, I know – I know it’s always hard when you lose a match like that, especially when it’s so close, but you can’t kill yourself over it. It’s not healthy. You have to stop.”

Still Bokuto said nothing, scowl deepening.

“You gonna say something, or you gonna keep on standing there with that stupid look on your face?”

“Fuck you Kuroo.”

“Nah you know what fucking — what the fuck is your problem? I’m trying to help you, trying to make sure you don’t hurt yourself and you’re just gonna stand there pouting?”

“I didn’t ask you to come here! You don’t need to be here!” Bokuto yelled, uncrossing his arms and looking directly at Kuroo. “Nobody asked you to come here and tell me off!”

“Actually, Akaashi did,” Kuroo retorted, just as loudly. “Because he’s worried about you, _everyone_ is worried about you.”

“Why? Because you think I can’t take care of myself?” Bokuto ran both hands though his hair in frustration, salt and pepper spikes sticking out in every direction. “I’m not a child, and I’m tired of people treating me like one!”

“People wouldn’t treat you like a child if you didn’t act like one!” Kuroo knew he was letting his frustration get the better of him, but he continued nonetheless. “You always do this – you always run off and do something stupid and overwork yourself, and it’s not even about you! I don’t see anyone else on your team isolating themselves and making people worry, and _all of them_ feel the same way you do after a hard loss. Fuck man – if you don’t wanna be treated like a child, then you ought to grow up.”

Bokuto stepped back, an expression of genuine hurt on his face as if Kuroo had physically struck him. Without saying a word, he quickly turned and dashed away, heading for the locker room.

“Bo, Bokuto please don’t—”

The harsh sound of the door slamming reverberated around the gym as Bokuto rushed through it, followed by the click of the lock behind him. Kuroo ran both hands across his face, sighing in exasperation.

“Fuck.”

\---

_Kuroobro [16:54]: Bo. Bo I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I was just pissed off._

 

 _Kuroobro [16:54]: Lemme make it up to you?_

 

_Kuroobro [17:24]: Bo?_

 

_Kuroobro [18:36]: … I’m really sorry_

\---

Kuroo spent the evening lying on his bed, tossing a volleyball mindlessly into the air. His stomach felt like it was in knots, guilt and worry gnawing away at him as he lay there. He was so worried about Bokuto, so worried that he’d pushed him away, and he wanted nothing more than to find the ace and hold him close, to rub his back gently and tell him how sorry he was.

But he knew he had to leave it alone now, to let Bokuto come to him. He hated it but he knew that was how it had to be. Besides, Akaashi had found Bokuto not long after Kuroo had come home so he knew at least that Bo was in good hands.

The sudden ringing of the front doorbell startled Kuroo so much he almost dropped the ball on his face. Tossing it into a corner of the room he scrambled off the bed and rushed downstairs, heart pounding hard in his chest.

Kuroo opened the door so quickly he almost hit himself in the face with it. Bokuto was standing on his front porch, playing with his hands. The knots in Kuroo’s stomach tightened as Bokuto looked at him, very obviously nervous.

“Hey… can we talk?”

“Uh yeah, yeah of course.” Kuroo moved to one side, allowing Bokuto past and closing the door behind him. He then made his way to the living room, opting to sit on the middle cushion of the sofa where Bokuto sank into one end. It broke Kuroo’s heart to see how cautious – how _frightened_ – Bokuto looked, still fidgeting with his hands.

“Bo look I – I’m just really sorry okay, I didn’t mean—”

Kuroo stopped abruptly when Bokuto raised a hand to gently cover his mouth, looking at Kuroo more seriously than before.

“Stop. It’s okay.”

Moving his hand from Kuroo’s face, Bokuto very gently took one of his hands instead, interlacing their fingers together. Kuroo could only stare dumbly at his hand in Bokuto’s, heart beating so hard against his chest he was certain it was about to burst out.

“I’m sorry too. But, there’s something I gotta say to you.”

“Sure,” Kuroo replied breathlessly. Bokuto gave him a little smile before gazing over at the other side of the room, clearly trying to formulate the right words in his head. Kuroo let him, absent-mindedly running a thumb across the back of his knuckles.

“The thing is that, I know I’m frustrating.” Kuroo opened his mouth to reply but Bokuto stopped him quickly. “No, no listen – let me talk first.”

Kuroo frowned but remained quiet all the same.

“I know that I get on people’s nerves, or do stuff that people don’t like or that makes them angry sometimes but… I know what I’m doing. And it’s annoying that people don’t trust me, or that they treat me like I’m being stupid about it, but sometimes I really need to vent by myself. I need to do it my way and I’m sorry that sometimes that’s frustrating to you, and to other people, but you have to trust me. I know my limits, even when it doesn’t look like it.”

“Anyway I’m sorry,” he continued, settling back into the sofa. “I’m trying to get better at this stuff but it’s still really hard sometimes, especially after losing such a tough match. I feel like a lot of people rely on me and I should probably be better at this. But it’s hard to find the words – I get so mad, or so annoyed, but I don’t know how to talk about it. So I just, go back to the court or run or something, and do it my own way like that, because it’s the only way I know how.”

“Ah Bo…” Kuroo shuffled closer, pulling Bokuto towards him into an embrace. Bokuto let himself be pulled in, wrapping his arms around Kuroo.

“I don’t like making you mad Tets. I’m sorry.”

“Me too Kou,” Kuroo replied, running a hand gently through Bokuto’s hair. “I’m just afraid that you’re gonna hurt yourself. I know you need space sometimes, and I respect that, but actually seeing you work yourself like that – it really scares me.”

“I’m sorry.” Bokuto’s voice was muffled where he was cuddled into Kuroo’s chest. “I don’t wanna scare you. But… I really know my limits. I promise.”

Kuroo kissed the top of Bokuto’s head, rubbing his back gently like he’d thought about earlier on. “I trust that. But it still worries me sometimes. Maybe we should have like, a code or something, if this happens again. So we can deal with it better, instead of blowing up.”

“Like… brocode?”

Kuroo snorted despite himself, pulling away and placing a finger under Bokuto’s chin, tilting his head up. “Yes my bro. Like brocode.”

“Okay…” Bokuto furrowed his eyebrows, thinking of a word for himself. “So what if I tell you ‘angry bird’ when I’m feeling really mad and don’t know how to talk?”

“Yeah, that works. And if I tell you I’m feeling ‘catty’, then you know I’m afraid you might be taking it too far.”

“So I can try and… stop. Or something.”

“No, no you don’t have to do that. It’s just – just so you know. Because I want to be honest. I want us to be able to be honest with each other. And using a code word when we don’t know how to talk to each other without getting frustrated is the best way for us to get through it, right?”

“Right.” Bokuto shifted, moving closer to Kuroo and capturing his lips in a deep kiss. “I love you Tetsu. I’m so lucky I have you.”

Kuroo smiled. “I’m just as lucky for you Koutarou. I love you, and we’re gonna get through these things together. I know it.”


End file.
